Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Month: February 2016

This theme like last month is coinciding with a movie release. It’s not a bad thing especially if we get some sweet loot! I’m more of a Marvel fan but I’ve liked the recent Superman movies. I think Batman vs Superman is going to live up to the hype. I hope Bruce Wayne has a Boston accent (kidding). The new season of Daredevil on Netflix is also being highlighted in this theme. With a reveal of John Bernthal as Frank Castle, the Punisher, we should see a Daredevil vs Punisher story line. Star Trek and Alien vs Predator items will also be included in this crate.

If you want to sign up use this LINK, also use the promo code SAVE3 for $3 off any subscription. I also get credit towards more Loot Crates if you use the link. If you have any questions, leave a comment at the bottom.

The Open is finally here! Today starts the 2016 season and I’m excited to see what Dave Castro has in store for us. I know I’m not going to qualify for regionals but checking out the leader board is fun. Seeing where I stack up against friends from my gym and others is also a bonus. I like competition, and I use it as a way to push myself to be better.

The workout announcements are also fun to watch. Dave Castro is a bit dramatic but it adds to the tension. The athlete showdown is also fun to watch. You get to see how the pros workout and the after show is entertaining. Unfortunately, 16.1 sucked it wasn’t the worst workout that I’ve done but it ranks up there.

Workout 16.1

AMRAP 20 minutes

25 ft. overhead lunge (95 lb.)

8 bar facing burpees

25 ft. overhead lunge (95 lb.)

8 chest-to-bar pull-ups

I didn’t know how to approach this workout but I knew I had to have a good pace. I haven’t done many workouts that last 20 minutes. Usually those workouts are done with a partner. I underestimated the lunges initially and was more focused on the burpees and chest-to-bars. “I have good legs” I thought to myself, “it’s not going to be that bad”. As the workout went on, I realized the mistake I made. I was able to do the first three rounds unbroken but it was tough. After each interval I would take a short break to catch my breath. My legs were on fire by this point and I was starting to have a hard time lifting my self out of the lunge. Holding the weight overhead was the easy part. The last round was terrible, it was a mental test. I wanted to quit a few times but I stuck it out.

The burpees and chest to bar pull ups were difficult but manageable. I was able to get through them without much trouble, except for the last round. I wanted to stay on the floor every time I did burpees but I was able to get back up somehow. I broke the burpees into sets of four and the chest-to-bars were done in singles. I finished the workout with 113 total reps.

It was a great start to the 2016 CrossFit season. I hope Dave Castro doesn’t kill us with a crazy workout in the coming weeks. Even though the workout was horrible, I had a good time.

What is Loot Crate?

Taken from the Loot Crate site, “Each month, Loot Crate™ ships a themed mystery box of the best geek, gaming, and pop culture gear to a subscriber base of over 100,000 Looters. We emphasize phenomenal support and content, and include gear from some of the most respected entertainment and consumer product companies in the world.” Loot Crate sells for $13.95 a month plus $6.00 shipping and handling. You can save on the costs by subscribing for longer periods as well. If you like this theme check out the link at the bottom to subscribe.

This month’s theme was DEAD, and Loot Crate included items from Deadpool and The Walking Dead.

Whats in the Box?

The shirt this month is from Deadpool. It looks great and would go well with my Deadpool socks from a previous month.

This Q Pop miniature is sweet! I will definitely be making a space for it on my desk. I’ll probably remove the Pop figures from my desk and replace it with this.

This soap on a rope is the first Walking Dead item. It’s the ear necklace that Daryl wears in season 2. It’s a litte creepy to be honest. I’m not going to open it yet, I hope it smells good.

The last featured item is the McFarlane toys figure. This item was a bit disappointing. I was expecting a normal sized figure but instead we got a miniature from the building sets. The building sets allow you to create your own scenes from the tv show. I will look into this some more.

This month’s pin is a zombie Loot Crate box. The free item this month is a rare Carl from the game “The Walking Dead: Road to Survival” by Scopely. I haven’t played this game yet, but I might give it a try. Not sure if I can pack more stuff into my phone though. Check out LOOT CRATE PINS for more details.

Final Thoughts

The Deadpool items were great but the Walking Dead items fell short. The Q Fig and shirt are my favorite items this month. I’m going to remove my Pop! vinyls to make room for this Q fig.If you want to sign up use this LINK, also use the promo code BOX5 to save $5 off your first subscription. If that code doesn’t work you can use SAVE3 for $3 off any subscription. I also get credit towards more Loot Crates if you use the link.

Below is a video battle report of Severius1 vs Denegrah1. Denegrah came away with the win, but it was a great game to learn from. It was also my first time playing against Nyss hunters. I will not make the same mistakes again, at least I hope I don’t. Hope you enjoy the video. If you have any comments or questions leave them at the bottom.

Monday

Started Monday with some back squats. I was able to complete all six sets at 285 lb. I didn’t want to let up on the weight. Sets went by quickly and I felt great. Another session in the books.

WOD

EMOM – 14 minutes

6 clean and jerks (135 lb.)

Max effort burpees

This workout was a lot harder than expected. The clean and jerks were going to be rough especially since 135 lb. is about 66% of my max. The target number for burpees was eight, which is going to be difficult as time goes on. First six minutes of the workout went great. I was finishing the clean and jerks quickly, under 30 seconds and the burpees would be done just as fast. After that, my burpee count dropped to about 5-7 reps a minute. I completed the clean and jerks, until about the ninth minute. I completed 3-5 reps for the remainder of the workout.

Wednesday

Back Squat – 3×3 at 95% (335 lb.)

Sticking with back squats, the percentages are higher today. Usually we do this session a week before we max out. I only did one set at 335 lb. due to time. I was able to hit my old three rep max of 305 lb. right before this PR!

Partner WOD

Roy – 5 rounds

15 deadlifts (195 lb.)

20 box jumps (24 in.)

25 pull ups

I partnered up with my fiance for this workout and we split the work evenly. I decided to not do the workout at 225 lb. I didn’t want to put too much strain on my lower back because of the heavy back squats. The workout was great but I slowed down on the pull ups. I was able to finish all the other movements unbroken except for the pull ups. I finished the workout at 15:38

Friday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (285 lb.)

Maintenance squat day. I felt great during the reps and my knee felt better. We should be maxing out next week.

WOD

Recovery WOD – rest 1 minute after each interval

4x400m run

The first 400 m had to be finished under 2:00. If you didn’t you had to scale the distance. I kept a good pace and finished at 1:55. After the first interval I was unable to finish under 2:00 and ended the last interval with a time of 2:20.

This entry is going to be longer than other weeks since I went six days straight.

Monday

Back Squat – 5×5 at 85% (275 lb.)

I decided not to go up to 85%. I warmed up and wasn’t feeling it. I was having a difficult time at 275 lb. and I didn’t want to risk an injury. I was able to finish four sets at 275 lb. before the time ran out.

WOD

3x 3:00 AMRAP:

30 double unders

20 shoulder to overhead (75 lb.)

10 toes to bar

Rest one minute

My goal for this workout was to at least finish 1 round each set. My first set I was able to finish one round and 30 double unders. My slowest area was the shoulder to overhead and toes to bar. I was able to go unbroken on the first round of shoulder to overhead but I had to break the toes to bar reps into two sets. The second round was worse. The fatigue set in and I was only able to get through one round. I wasn’t able to finish a round in the third set. I took longer rests and was slower overall. It was rough and I only was able to finish eight toes to bar.

AMRAP 7 minutes

7 pull ups
7 overhead squats (75 lb.)
7 burpees

We only had a minute or two of rest before we started this workout. I was super slow during this workout. The pull ups were slow. I was only able to complete them in singles. The overhead squat was also hard to complete mainly because of my wrist. I have been having wrist issues and overhead work has been taking a toll on it. I also haven’t done overhead squat work in awhile. I was able to complete this in two sets. The burpees were taxing adding to my overall fatigue. I was only able to finish two rounds of this workout.

Tuesday

Snatch Complex

3 power snatch + 1 overhead squat

Started by doing the Burgner warm up and some empty bar work to loosen up. Started with 75 lb. and worked up to 135 lb. I was a bit worried about my wrist but it wasn’t too bad. I stopped at 135 lb. because I could feel my form starting to go bad and time was running out. I’m happy with the workout since 135 lb. used to be my two rep max.

WOD – FGB style

3 rounds, 1 minute per station

Flutter kicks (4 count)
Ring push ups
Superman holds
Handstand holds

This workout was a nice change of pace, my hands were thankful. Even though the workout didn’t have a barbell or gymnastics work it was plenty difficult. The hardest movements were the ring push ups and the handstand holds. I would only be able to get a few reps in before my arms would give out. I would complete at least 10 in a minute. I was able to hold the handstand for at least 40 seconds each round. The flutter kicks and superman holds were easier to get through. I was able to complete at least 30 reps of flutter kicks and at least 10 reps of superman holds.

Wednesday

Back Squat – 6×2 80% (275 lb.)

Another day of back squat maintenance. I was able to get in a full six sets this session but I didn’t increase the weight to 285 lb. for my actual 80%. The squats felt great and my knee felt better after the warm up.

WOD

Fran: 21-16-9

Thrusters (95 lb.)

Pull ups

After doing well in the 15.5 retest, I wanted to retest Fran. Today was my chance and I was going to go hard! That was my plan, but that is not what happened. I was able to get through the thrusters but the pull ups were another story. I was very slow, only doing a few reps at a time. I was also resting longer than usual. I finished this workout at 7:39, 32 seconds slower than my last time. I thought I was going to do a lot better this time. I wanted to at least a minute faster. I didn’t do as well but I can at least learn from it. I need to work on my pull ups. I need to do more strength work and work on my kip. I was kipping the pull ups but I couldn’t find a rhythm. I was only able to string a few reps together. I will add in some more strict pull up work.

Thursday

Power Clean, 3 Rep Max (Touch and Go)

I was able to complete three reps at 175 lb. which was surprising. I’ve been having issues trying to re grip the bar after a rep. I would use a hook grip for the first rep but use a regular grip for the other reps. I’m not sure if I could have went heavier, the reps were getting harder to complete with good form. I’m happy with my progress since my old squat clean 1RM used to be 185 lb.

Partner WOD

AMRAP, 12 minutes

9 power cleans (135 lb.)
12 row (cals.)
24 double unders

I like doing partner workouts. I tend to rest less and push myself to keep up. We alternated movements instead of each person completing a round each. This way, we kept moving instead of resting too long. We kept a good pace throughout the workout. We had enough recovery time between each movement, and I didn’t have to slow down on the intensity. We finished this workout with eight total rounds completed.

Friday

Back Squat – 4×4 at 90% (315 lb.)

90% is the heaviest I’ve gone since this squat cycle started. I felt good on Monday and I was eager to squat heavy. I took a bit longer to warm up since I haven’t lifted this heavy in awhile. I’m still looking out for my knee as well. I was able to get up to 305 lb. for two sets of four and then 315 lb. for the last two sets. I wanted to get in another set at 315 lb. but I ran out of time.

WOD

For time

50 chest to bar pull ups
50 wall balls (20 lb.)
50 row (cals.)

The hardest part of this workout was going to be the chest to bars. I’m still weak at that movement and I can’t do many at one time. I would do as many reps as I could before scaling. I was able to do ten before I had to scale. It took me almost a minute and I realized I wasn’t going to finish if I didn’t scale to regular pull ups. I broke up the reps into fives and eventually singles. I went a bit quicker after scaling but it still took me awhile to get those last few pull ups.

Wall balls are a strong movement for me and I was able to get through these reps. I broke up the reps into sets of 10 which were manageable. The row was a grind. I was feeling the effects of the wall balls as well as the squats. It was tough but I focused on each pull and zoned out. I finished the workout at 13:38.

Saturday

Snatch, 1 rep heavy

I spent Saturday working on snatches. After working on cleans the week before, I decided to switch to snatches. I’m very weak at snatches and it’s something I want to improve on. I started warming up with 75 lb. and focusing on form. I haven’t snatched heavy in awhile and all I have been doing in class is power snatches. I would stay at a certain weight until I was able to get at least three reps before adding more. I was able to get to 145 lb. but I started missing lifts.

145 lb. is about 94% of my 1RM. I was only able to successfully hit this weight once out of six tries. After my fourth miss, I decided to call it a day. A big issue was getting under the bar. My lack of experience really shows in this area. One of my coaches commented that I had the power but not the speed. I need to work on getting into that bottom position. I will try to get more sessions in over the next few weeks.

Sorry everyone for the delay. I’m also trying out this graphic for this segment of the blog.

Monday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (285 lb.)

Starting off the week with back squats. Like previous weeks tried my best to hit my numbers. I was only able to complete five sets at 80%, with one set at 75%. It was a great session, but I ran out of time.

WOD – 30 minute time cap

Run 200m

21 thrusters (75 lb.)

21 pull ups

Run 200m

15 thrusters (75 lb.)

15 pull ups

Run 200m

9 thrusters (75 lb)

9 pull ups

Rest 5 minutes

–then–

5 rounds

15 toes to bar

15 power cleans (95 lb.)

Rest 5 minutes

–then–

Max effort burpees, 3 minutes

As you can imagine, this workout was tough. I had to scale this workout because I knew I wasn’t going to finish on time. I treated it like Fran but I did go faster. The thrusters were okay, since it was only 75 lb. The pull ups were a bit difficult but I managed to power through it. I broke up the reps into small sets which helped.Finished the first part of this workout at 10 minutes and rested the full time.The second part of this workout was harder than the first part, mainly because of the toes to bar. The power cleans were done almost unbroken but I had to scale the toes to bar. I was tired by this point and I took a lot of time between rounds. I finished this part of the workout at 25 minutes. I didn’t get to start the max effort burpees.

Tuesday

Gymnastics Skill Work

I worked on dips and handstand push ups. The reps were 6×6 and all the movements were strict. It was difficult but I was able to get through it. I’m getting stronger on the rings, and my handstand push ups are getting better.

I wasn’t able to finish this workout under the time cap or Rx. The initial weight for both bar movements was 135 lb. The overhead squats were harder than expected, even with a scaled weight. I wasn’t able to get a rhythm, and it took me a lot longer to finish the reps. The double unders were not too bad, was able to do at least half unbroken. The burpees were the hardest part of the second half. The handstand push ups and power snatches were quick but the burpees felt like forever.

Wednesday

Back Squat – 6×6 at 80% (275 lb.)

That’s a lot of reps. I wasn’t able to finish all the sets because of time. My legs felt great, they were not sore from Monday. My body might be starting to adapt to the work load. I was able to finish four of the six sets at 275 lb.

Partner WOD

14 minute AMRAP

4 power cleans (135 lb.)

4 front squats (135 lb.)

4 shoulder to overhead (135 lb.)

Partnered with my fiance for this workout. Everything went great, we moved quickly but I had to rest longer. I would complete each round unbroken but I would take at least 30 seconds before my round. My fiance scaled her weight but she was quick. I wished she was slower so I could get more rest. She did great. We managed to finish five rounds each.

Friday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (285 lb.)

I actually completed all the sets at 80% after deciding not to scale the weight. My legs felt great and I warmed up for about 20 minutes before the class. It wasn’t too bad, the last two sets were a struggle but I got through it. Thankfully I didn’t need a spot.

WOD

For time

20 back squats at 50% 1RM (165 lb.)

Run 1 mile

20 back squats at 50% 1RM (165 lb.)

Run 1 mile

I can’t remember the last time I hated a workout. Usually most workouts are fun but this one was horrible. The back squats were done from the floor and I almost lost my balance the first time I tried to load the bar on my back. Thankfully I was able to gain control and not drop the weight. I was able to finish all the reps unbroken. The mile run was a different story. I paced myself but I wasn’t quick. I haven’t ran a mile in awhile and this was another sign that I needed to run more. When I got back to the box, my quads were on fire. I powered through it and started on my second round of squats. I was able to finish this round unbroken as well but my quads were super tight on the run. I finally finished at 29:30, close to last in the class. I need to run more.

Saturday

Heavy Cleans

I worked on cleans this day. I haven’t been doing many oly lifts and came in on a Saturday to work on them. Since I haven’t done heavy reps in awhile I decided to focus on cleans. I started low and worked up to my 1 rep max. One of the coaches told me to add five pounds to the bar just in case I make it, it would be a new PR. I managed to lift 230 lb. for a new PR! I wanted to add more weight but I could feel some strain in my elbow. I called it a day right after. If I’m able to come in again next Saturday, I’ll work on my snatches.

What is Loot Crate?

Taken from the Loot Crate site, “Each month, Loot Crate™ ships a themed mystery box of the best geek, gaming, and pop culture gear to a subscriber base of over 100,000 Looters. We emphasize phenomenal support and content, and include gear from some of the most respected entertainment and consumer product companies in the world.” Loot Crate sells for $13.95 a month plus $6.00 shipping and handling. You can save on the costs by subscribing for longer periods as well. If you like this theme check out the link at the bottom to subscribe.

This month’s theme was Invasion! What kind of items did we get this month? Check out below to see our Loot.

What’s in the Box?

Every month Loot Crate will include a shirt and they’re starting out the new year is a shirt from the X-Files. The shirt is an exclusive and was the winner of a contest hosted by Loot Crate and Threadless. The winning artist is known as “nicebleed”. I used to watch it growing up and the theme song still gives me chills. As much as I like the show. I don’t really like the shirt. It’s an interesting design but it’s not something I would have bought for myself. I’ll probably wear it, but not often.

Another X-Files item is this exclusive LED flashlight. We have been experiencing some power outages so this will come in handy. I hope it’s a quality flashlight that lasts for awhile. I’m glad they came with batteries.

If you seen an Alien movie, these things probably gave you nightmares. As a kid, the facehuggers were scarier than the adult Xenomorphs. Now you can have your own soft, cuddly nightmare with this Facehugger plush. It also comes with a matching rubber band if you want to attach it to your head. “Game over, man! Game over!”

Next up, we get a Space Invaders figure. These come in different colors but I got the orange one. Interesting figure that’s also an exclusive.

This prop replica is from one of my favorite Sci-Fi movies of the 90’s. I used to watch this movie all the time since HBO would replay it frequently. I can still hear Milla Jovovich saying “Leeloo Dallas multi pass”. I’ve noticed that Loot Crate is also including more prop replicas like the Agents of Shield badge, Hydra Pin and Galaxy Quest patch from previous crates. The item can also be turned into a conventional ID holder as well. You can insert your ID into the sleeve provided and it inserts in the holder.

Instead of a poster the guys at Loot Crate included art prints from “War of the Worlds” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. Cool prints, would go well in an entertainment room. The only downside is the size. It’s about 9×6.

This month, Loot Crate moved away from the theme button to metal pins. I prefer these metal pins since they look better than the buttons. The pins also comes with a digital comic download of “Letter 44” from ComiXology. Go to LOOT CRATE PINS for more details.

I didn’t take pictures of the box but it turns into an 80’s arcade cabinet. You can see some of it under the pictures above.

Final Thoughts

I think Loot Crate did a great job with this month’s theme. All items went well with the theme but some were better than others. The shirt was a miss for me but I liked everything else. The Facehugger plush was my favorite item this month. If you want to check out more stuff for February’s theme go to HERE. Loot Crate is having a contest, a typing zombie game, and more.

If you want to sign up use this LINK, also use the promo code BOX5 to save $5 off your first subscription. If that code doesn’t work you can use SAVE3 for $3 off any subscription. I also get credit towards more Loot Crates if you use the link.

Monday

Back Squat – 6 x 2 at 80% (285 lb.)

Started out the day with heavy back squats. I warmed up with a few sets and started on the back squats. I had a good day at the weight wrack, every set was great with the last two being the most difficult. I finished with enough time to set up for the days WOD.

WOD – For Time

21 toes to bar

15 deadlifts (115 lb.)

9 box jumps (24 in.)

21 pull ups

15 power cleans (115 lb.)

9 box jumps (24 in.)

21 chest to bar pull ups

15 shoulder to overheads (115 lb.)

9 box jumps (24 in.)

At first glance this workout looks long but it goes by quickly. My concerns for this workout were the bar movements. 21 toes to bar, pull ups and chest to bars are going to suck. Mainly because I’m bad at them. Everything else didn’t seem too bad. The barbell movements and box jumps were going to be cake next to the bar work.As expected, the bar work was rough. I wanted to do most of the reps unbroken but I couldn’t. I broke the toes to bar into sets of five or less. The pull ups were done in sets of five or a more and the chest to bars were in sets of two to five reps. I had to do singles by the end of chest to bar pull ups. The dead lifts and power cleans were not as hard. I finished the deadlifts unbroken and I finished the power cleans in two sets. The shoulder to overhead was also done unbroken, using a power jerk instead of a push press. I finished the workout at 11:44, under the 15 minute time cap. I was hoping I would finish under 10 minutes but the bar work was a lot harder than expected.

Tuesday

Gymnastics Skill Day

V-ups (3 second count)

Strict ring dips

Chest to bar pull ups

Worked on some strict movements and chest to bars. The original movement was strict toes to bar but since I can not complete those, I scaled down to v ups. The strict ring dips were not too bad. Was able to go unbroken on all sets. I tend to pull my legs up like I’m doing an L sit when doing dips, so I worked on keeping straight. The chest to bar pull ups were just as hard as Monday. I’m not able to string that many together yet and my form looks bad after a set or two. I took a lot of rest between sets.

WOD

CrossFit Open Workout 15.4

AMReps in 8 minutes

3 handstand push ups

3 cleans (185 lb.)

6 handstand push ups

3 cleans (185 lb.)

9 handstand push ups

3 cleans (185 lb.)

12 handstand push ups

6 cleans (185 lb.)

6 handstand push ups

Since the open is a month away, the gym is retesting last years open workouts. I was excited for this one since I didn’t do that well last year. I wrote a post about it which you can read HERE. Last year I was only able to complete 21 reps but this year I was able to complete 51 reps, a PR of 30 reps! I was able to hit 21 reps at about three minutes into the workout. I was stoked. I didn’t think I would be going this quick. I’ve been working on a lot of press work, mainly strict HSPU’s and strict press. My cleans felt great as well. I struggled a bit last year but not this time.

The handstand push ups were the hardest part, as always. I started struggling during the last few reps of 12 HSPUs. I took a short rest before I started on the cleans but it wasn’t enough. I struggled on the last few reps of my HSPUs before they called time. I was exhausted but I felt great. I knew I just smashed my old PR and I was riding that feeling. Hopefully I do better in this years Open.

Thursday

Push Press 3RM

Warmed up with the bar and slowly started adding weight. I didn’t have a number in mind when loading the bar. My previous lifts were done at 165 lb. and I felt I had gained more strength since then. I worked up to 185 lb. and focused on my form. My right wrist was a bit tight so I stopped and stretched it a bit before the WOD.

WOD

CrossFit Open Wokrout 15.5

27-21-15-9

Row (cal.)

Thruster (95 lb.)

If you didn’t do this workout last year, good for you. It was one of the worse workouts I’ve done. I remember laying on the ground for a few minutes before standing up. I wrote about it last year in this POST. This time around, I was determined to do better. After seeing my score from 15.4 improve significantly, I figured I would crush my new 15.5 time. I was wrong, very wrong.

The rows started great, I had a good pace and finished ready to get into my first round of thrusters. I broke up the first round into three sets, trying to set a good pace for these as well. I hit a wall after the second round. I kept repeating “finish” in my head, like a mantra to get through the rest of the workout. As the time cap loomed I tried to go faster but it wasn’t fast enough. I finished the workout at 15:05, five seconds after the time cap. It was a small PR of 13 seconds but it was short of what I wanted. I’ve made some improvements over the year but I still have a lot more room to improve.